Congratulations to me!

Um. I made my very first multi-step (ie multiple day) yeast bread ever this weekend. And it was good.


Nick is our resident bread maker. I easily throw together pumpkin or banana bread - quick breads. But I was always a bit timid with the idea of yeast breads. Math isn't my strong suit, so actually having to measure out ingredients precisely gave me the hee bee gee bees. Plus, the kneading and the rising and the overnighting...sheesh.

But I suppose my bagel snobbery won out. I worked at a donut shop from my work permit days up until I gratuated from college, and again during a stint of unemployment, so I was spoiled with freshly baked bagels every day and grew quite accustomed to them and am now a full fledged bagel snob. But over a dollar a day for a fresh baked bagel (and I do mean fresh baked, from frozen, of course) just seems excessive. I'm a food snob, sure, but I'm also pretty cheap.
 
 Everything (garlic, shallot, poppy and sesame)

 White Poppy Seed 

Sesame Seed

So, when I found this recipe on one of Nick's favorite bread making sites, I knew I had to try it. And what a more perfect time than a three day weekend allowing time for a screw up if I needed?

My fears were all for not, however, as they turned out de-li-cious, not beautiful and somewhat misshapen. I have, with one taste of these bagels, qualmed my fears of yeast breads and decided that they are totally worth the effort. So, I did what any normal person making their first real yeast bread would do and took my bagel outside for a photo shoot. God help my future children.


All in all, even using super sweet (read: expensive) honey gold potatoes, these cost about twenty cents a piece. I can live with that.

I do have a new fear, though. The fear of what would happen if my stand mixer was taken away. Because, seriously, I cannot live without that thing.

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